Baby Artichokes with Fresh Chervil
Easy to prepare, baby artichokes require only half the work needed for the larger globe variety. Because they’re so small, they haven’t formed the fuzzy inner choke that requires so much trimming, and they are fully cooked in 20 minutes or less. The herb chervil is in the same family as fennel and has a mild licorice taste. It is slightly sweet and adds a cooling herbal zing to summer dishes.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the artichokes in cold water. Fill a bowl halfway with water and squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Slice the second lemon into wedges and set aside.
Step 2
To trim the artichokes, cut off the stem of each one at the base. Remove the tough green leaves around the base by peeling them back and snapping them off until you reach leaves that are yellow and tender. Slice off the top third of the artichoke and discard. If the artichokes are very small, leave them whole. Otherwise, cut them in half vertically. As you trim each artichoke, drop it into the lemon water to prevent it from turning brown. Repeat until all of the artichokes are trimmed.
Step 3
Drain the artichokes and heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and toss in the garlic. Stir for 20 seconds, then add the artichokes and 2 teaspoons salt. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, covered, until the artichokes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 4
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chervil. Taste the broth and season with salt, if needed.
Step 5
To serve, divide the artichokes among four plates and pour a spoonful of the cooking broth on each. Season with salt and pepper and a wedge of lemon. Garnish each plate with a sprig of chervil.
